Box forming and filling method and machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for forming and filling boxes with a group of articles such as cans, comprising a loading section including a conveyor for delivering cams to a grouper, a grouper for grouping the cans into groups, a conveyor for delivering the grouped cans to the pick-up station positioned adjacent to a rotatable drum, springmounted clamping plates on the drum for grasping the group of cans and carrying it to a filling station, a cam mechanism for moving the clamping plates toward each other to grasp the group of cans and for moving the clamping plates away from each other to release the group of cans at the filling station to fill box, and a forming section for taking flat blanks of corrugated paperboard and erecting and sealing them to form boxes and for delivering a series of boxes to the filling station. The pick-up station includes a plurality of rails and pivoted support fingers for supporting the group of cans in pick-up position. Camfollower fingers extend from the support fingers, and a rotatable cam disk moves the support fingers into pick-up position and moves them out of the path of the group of cans after the group has been picked up by the clamping plates.

United States Patent [191 Ullman Sept. 3, 1974 [75] Inventor: John E. Ullman, Huntingdon Valley,

[73] Assignee: Huntingdon Industries Incorporation, Bethayres, Pa.

[22] Filed: May 21, 1970 [21] App], No 39,287

[52] US. Cl 53/35, 53/61, 53/161, 53/243, 53/247, 53/251 [51] Int. Cl B65b 5/08, B65b 21/14 [58] Field of Search 53/159, 161, 166, 243, 53/247, 183, 35, 61, 251, 253

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,406 10/1917 Hawthorne 53/243 X 2,921,425 l/l960 Seval 53/247 2,939,256 6/1960 Nigrelli et al. 53/247 X 3,194,382 7/1965 Nigrelli et al l 53/159 X 3,216,175 11/1965 Stohlquist 53/186 R25,852 9/1965 Nigrelli et al. 53/159 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,095,735 12/1960 Germany 53/247 Primary Examiner-Robert Spruill Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Smith, Harding Earley & Follmer [57] ABSTRACT A machine for forming and filling boxes with a group of articles such as cans, comprising a loading section including a conveyor for delivering cams to a grouper, a grouper for grouping the cans into groups, a conveyor for delivering the grouped cans to the pick-up station positioned adjacent to a rotatable drum, spring-mounted clamping plates on the drum for grasping the group of cans and carrying it to a filling station, a cam mechanism for moving 'the clamping plates toward each other to grasp the group of cans and for moving the clamping plates away from each other to release the group of cans at the filling station to fill box, and a forming section for taking flat blanks of corrugated paperboard and erecting and sealingthem to form boxes and for delivering a series of boxes to the filling station. The pick-up station includes a plurality of rails and pivoted support fingers for supporting the group of cans in pick-up position. Cam-follower fingers extend from the support fingers, and a rotatable cam diskmoves the support fingers into pick-up position and moves them out of the path of the group of cans after the group has been picked up by the clamping plates.

17 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures minnow: m4

sum 01 0F 14 FIG. VIA.

INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN ATTORNEY mimwscvs 1914 sum 02 ar. 14

mmw

PArzminst m4 m 0'; arm

INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN ATTORNEY FIG. 3.

' sum user 14 INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN BY M ATTORNEY d D FPunn my E L r w ii o5 bum mmm mum mwm PATENIEB SE93 I914 SHEET 12 (IP14 ,INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN mom Y 444 #Fadur ATTORNEY PATENIED Sim "13 0F 14 INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN 5a lsmnuev minnows m4 sum nor 14 ZOJ F l G. 19.

' 5 s5 "C l llmh- 1 11111131 n. J

, mamas INVENTOR JOHN E. ULLMAN BY 4 a fl L7 {-4 #Fdur ATTORNEY BOX FORMING AND FILLING METHOD AND MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to forming boxes such as corrugated paperboard trays or cases by erecting and sealing a flat blank, and then filling the box with a group of articles such as with 24 cans.

It has long been desired to provide a high-production machine for forming, sealing, and filling a corrugated paperboard tray or case automatically, which machine is fast, efficient and economical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for automatically forming and sealing a paperboard tray or case and filling the tray or case with a group of articles such as 24 cans or four six-packs of cans. This is accomplished by providing a conveyor that feeds the cans to a grouping station where the cans are grouped into four six-packs or 24 loose can units, or other group as desired. Another conveyor feeds the can groups to a pick-up station where a rotatable drum has clamping plates for picking up and grasping the can group and I transporting it to a filling station positioned beneath the drum. A box former erects and seals a series of cases or trays, and a conveyor delivers the series of cases or trays to the filling station. A cam releases the can group at the filling station so that the can group drops into the tray or case, and another conveyor delivers the filled trays or cases to an output station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simplicity and economy, as well as the ease with which it may be adapted to existing equipment, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a view in side elevation of the loading section of the box forming and filling machine constructed in accordance with this invention for loading four sixpacks of cans into a tray, with parts broken away for clarity;

FIG. 1B is a view in side elevation of the forming or erecting section of the box forming and filling machine;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan of the loading section of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 3-3 which appear in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view in elevation of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a schematic partial view in top plan of the machine of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views of the electrical circuitry of .the invention and the bottom of FIG. 6 is joined to the top of FIG. 7 by the two connectors vertically positioned at the sides;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the electrical control box of the machine;

FIG. 9 is a view in side elevation of another embodiment of box forming and filling machine constructed in vation of the box forming and filling machine of FIGS. 9 and 10, and show the machine in greater detail;

FIGS. 14, 15, and 16 together show a view in side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-13;

FIG. 17 shows a partial view in section of a grasping pocket taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 17-17 which appear in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a view in section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 18-18 whichappear in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a view in side elevation of a separator blade; and

FIG. 20 is a view in cross section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 20--20 that appear in FIG. 19.

For the sake of clarity, parts are omitted from some views in order to illustrate other parts which would otherwise be hidden from view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown a loading section 21 (FIGS. 1A, 2 and 3), and a forming section 23 (FIG. 1B) which are driven by the same motor 51 and are structurally connected together by framework, drive mechanism including drive chain 49, box conveyors 25 and 27, platform 28 and control system so as to operate as a single system.

Loading section 21 includes a rotatable drum 29, a pick-up station 31 positioned adjacent drum 29 at the top, means including feeder conveyor 32, infeed conveyor 33 and flight bars 35 for delivering a group of articles such as a group 37 of four six-packs of cans to pick-up station 31, a filling station 39 positioned adjacent the drum 29 at the bottom, means on drum 29 including clamping plates 41 for grasping group 37 and carrying it to filling station 39 as the drum rotates, and means including release portion 43 (FIG. 3) of cams 45 for releasing group 37 at filling station 39, whereby to fill a box 47, such as the corrugated paperboard tray illustrated in the drawings, with the group 37 of articles.

The boxes 47 are delivered to filling station 39 by box conveyors 25 and 27.

A drive sprocket 53 (FIG. 1B) is driven by chain 55 and sprocket 57 on gear box drive shaft 59, and chain 49 passes under and is driven by sprocket 53. As shown in FIG. 1B, drive chain 49 travels leftward of sprocket 53 over idler sprocket 61, under idler sprocket 63 mounted on plate 65, then (FIG. 1A) over flight bar drive sprocket 67, downwardly to mesh with drum shaft sprocket 69, around take-up sprocket 71, under idler sprocket 73 (FIG. 1B), then around sprocket 75 and over sprocket 77 to return to drive sprocket 53.

A grouping station 81 (FIG. 1A) is provided having means for grouping the articles before delivery to pickup station 31, and such means includes timing belts 83.

accordance with this invention for loading 24 loose 65 Timing belts 83 are driven in timed relation with flight cans into a tray or case;

FIG. 10 is a view in top plan of the machine of FIG.

bars 35 and drum 29 by a chain 85 which passes around sprocket 86 (FIG. 2) on flight bar drive shaft 117 and sprocket 87 mounted on a shaft 89 that drives pulleys 91 through gear boxes 93. Flight bar shaft 117 and drum shaft 145 are both driven by chain 49.

lnfeed conveyor 33 is driven by motor 95 and chain 97 that drive conveyor sprocket 99 and infeed conveyor 33 which moves at a greater speed than timing belts 83. Each belt 83 has three protuberances or lugs 101a, 101b, 101C (FIG. 2) that are spaced equidistant apart from each other.

In operation of the grouper station 81, a flood of sixpacks are fed into station 81 by infeed conveyor 33 and are guided by can infeed center guide 107.

Specifically, in studying a particular group 37 of sixpacks 103-106 being formed by the grouper, six-packs 103 and 104 are the leading packs and are in contact with lugs 101c which act to restrain the feeding columns of six-packs which are to the rear of packs 103 and 104. As the six-pack columns move toward flight bar conveyor section 113, being urged in this direction by belt 33 passing underneath, the following set of lugs 101a enter from the sides and engage the six-packs following six-packs 105 and 106 to restrain'the following six-pack columns so as to be able to release six-pack group 37 as soon as lugs l01c pass out of contact with six-packs 103 and 104' around pulleys 91. Group 37 is then free to accelerate and pass from the grouper 81 under the urging of belt 33 and into timed conjunction with conveyor flight bars 35.

The group 37 is now in contact with a preceeding flight bar.35 in a flight bar conveyor section 113 which includes drive sprockets 115 mountedon shaft 117, which is driven by sprocket 67, flight bar conveyor chains 119 having flight bars 35 mounted thereon at spaced intervals, and idler sprockets 121. A flight bar guard 123 is mounted above each of the flight bar conveyor chains 119 and is shown in FIG. 1A but is omitted from the other figures for the sake of clarity. A center guide 125 (shown only in FIG. 3) runs down the center of flight bar conveyor section 113 and separates the six-packs transversely. Side guide rails 127 (FIG. 3) help to keep the six-packs in line and under control.

In operation of the flight bar conveyor section 113, a flight bar 35 moves behind each group of six-packs and moves it along rails 129 into pick-up station 31.-

A jam safety clutch 131 (FIG. 2) is mounted on drive shaft 117 so that if the six-packs jam in flight-bar conveyor section 113, this clutch will disengage and actuate limit switch 133 (FIG. 3) to shut down the machine.

Pick-up station 31 includes support fingers 135 pivotally mounted at the end of the rails 129, and fingers 135 support the can group 37 horizontally in pick-up position. Cam-follower fingers 137, having rollers 139, extend from the support fingers 135, and a pair of rotatable cam disks 141 have a series of cams 143 mounted on their periphery that contact rollers 139 of cam follower fingers 137 to move the support fingers 135 into horizontal pick-up position. After pick-up, cams 143 allow movement of cam follower fingers 137 downwardly about their pivots to move the support fingers 135 out of the path of group 37 and allow the group 37 to proceed following a path around the periphery of drum 29 toward filling station 39.

Drum 29 includes a shaft 145 supported in sideframe members 147, and also includes a pair of outer disks 149 with six clamping springs 151 extending from each disk 149. A clamping plate 41 (FIG. 3) having a resilient face is mounted on the end of each spring 151,

with a cam follower roller 155 on the back of each clamping plate. It will be realized that more or less than six sets of springs'151 may extend from disks 149, as desired.

Annular cams 45 (FIG. 3) are vertically mounted on the interior surface of side frame members 147 and have a grasping portion 157 at the top for moving the clamping plates 41 toward each other to grasp a group 37 of six-packs or other articles, and have a release portion 43 at the bottom for allowing the clamping springs 151 to spread apart and release said group 37 and load the group into a box or tray 47.

Runners 159 are mounted on cam disks 141 for supporting the bottom of the articles grasped by clamping plates 41.

A central disk 161 is mounted on shaft 145 and has runners 163 mounted thereon at each clamping plate pocket to help support the bottom of the six-packs clamped therein. A blade 165, made of rubber or steel, or a synthetic resin such as urethane, is mounted on disk 161 at each clamping plate pocket to separate the two rows of six-packs. Blade 165 provides an element against which the six-packs and cans can be squeezed by the clamping plates 41 to hold the articles firmly in place and prevent can movement, especially when the cans are held upside-down.

In the pick-up operation, cams 143 are rotated with cam disks 141 so as to contact rollers 139 of cam follower fingers 137 and rotate pivoted support fingers 135 into horizontal position in pick-up station 31 for supporting group 37 of six-packs in pick-up position. Then grasping portion 157 of cams 45 are contacted by rollers 155 of clamping plates 41 to move the clamping plates 41 toward each other to grasp the group 37. As the drum 29 rotates, the trailing edge of cams 143 allow support fingers 135 to dropout of the path of the group 37. Side cams 45 hold the plates 41 in position so that they continue to grasp the group 37 firmly until the group reaches filling station 39 whereupon release portions 43 of cams 45 allow springs 151 to spread apart the clamping plates 41 to release the group 37. A box 47 is held in filling station 39 by a pair of spring-backed pivoted detent fingers 167 that contact the, box to hold the box in position. As the group 37 rotates around drum 29, the leading edge of the group makes contact with leading wall panel 169 of box 47 and exerts sufficient force to move the box forwardly against the holding force of detent fingers 167. When group 37 is positioned above the bottom of the box and inside the box walls, group 37 is released by clamping plates 41 and drops into the box. The weight of the group 37 in box 47 creates sufficient friction against the top surface of discharge conveyor 27 to overcome the efforts of detent fingers 167 against the box so that discharge conveyor 27 moves the filled box leftward toward the discharge end of the machine. At the same time, conveyor 27 moves unfilled boxes forwardly until the first box in line is grasped and held in position by detent fingers 167 to await the next group of articles to be delivered to filling station 39 by the next pair of clamping devices as the drum 29 continues to rotate.

A photoelectric cell (FIG. 1A) is positioned feed of forming section 23. Cells 175 and 177 work in conjunction with one another as is further explained hereafter.

Forming section 23 is similar in construction to the machines disclosed in Ullman Pat. Nos. 3,196,761 and 3,101,654 owned by I-Iuntingdon Industries Incorporated, the assignee of this patent application, and those patents are incorporated herein by reference.

Forming section 23 includes a hopper 201 for stacking a plurality of flat blanks 203 made of corrugated paperboard, and take-down vacuum cups 205 which pull the blanks 203 in succession from the hopper onto table 207.

A glue station 209 is provided for applying an adhesive to the blanks 203, and a forming or erecting station 211 is provided for erecting the blanks 203 into set-up condition and for sealing the erected box or tray. Mechanism 213 is provided for feeding blanks 20 from hopper 201 to erecting station 211.

Hopper 201 includes front stacker bars 215 and rear stacker bars 217. In operation, the bottom blank 203 is pulled down to table 207 by take-down vacuum cups 205, and is held against table 207 by pivoted hold-down arms 219 against the action of take-down cups 205 which releases the blank by reversing its suction to blow air upwardly.

The mechanism operating take-down cup 205 includes drive motor 51, gear box 221, crank 223, connecting link 225, lever 227, connecting link 229, lever 231, vacuum rod support mounting 233, and vacuum cups 205.

The mechanism 213 for driving blanks 203 from beneath hopper 201 to glue station 209 and then to erecting station 211 includes driving motor 51, gear box 221, crank 223, connecting link 225, lever 227, levers 235, links 237, and'a paper feed cross-head 239 to which are attached feed bites which reciprocates back and forth to deliver the blanks 203 from beneath hopper 201 to erecting station 211.

Glue station 209 includes adhesive spray guns 241 for spraying adhesive on selected portions of blanks 203.

Erecting station 211 includes a vertically reciprocal mandrel 243 connected to a cross head 245 that is re ciprocated vertically along a pair of cross head columns 247 by a drive mechanism which includes connecting rods 249, levers 251 and lever 253, adjustable connecting rod 255, crank plate 257, gear box 221 and motor 51.

In operation of forming section 23, flat blanks 203 are pulled onto table 207 by vacuum cups 205, are held down by arms 219, and are moved by feed mechanism 213 to a position beneath the spray guns 241 and then into erecting station 211. Mandrel 243 moves the blanks downwardly into the forming mechanism that erects the tray which then passes downwardly through cage plates 259 that hold the boxes in erected position while the glue sets. Then the boxes are delivered to box conveyor 25 and moved thereby to conveyor 27 that moves the boxes into position in filling station 39 and then, after filling, moves the filled boxes to the discharge area.

A photoelectric cell 261 is positioned beneath the cage zone between plates 259 to detect any pile-up of boxes and shut down forming section 23. Another pho- A of boxes are ready and waiting to be filled and shuts down forming section 23 until more boxes are needed, whereupon photoelectric cell 177 detects the absence of boxes at its position and signals forming section 23 to start making more boxes.

SEQUENCE OF OPERATION With the machine adjusted for running operation, paper hopper 201 loaded for production, glue station 209 in readiness, and a supply of six-packs ready for loading into trays, the following sequence of operation takes place, referring more particularly to FIGS. 4-8.

The operator closes disconnect switch 265 which energizes transformer 26 and energizes motor starter 267 of feeder conveyor 32 to cause an initial infeed of sixpacks. In traveling along the feeder conveyor 32, the six-packs momentarily close (FIG. 5) limit switch 269 in lane 270 or limit switch 271 in lane 272 to energize time delay relay 273 and close timed contacts 275, thus energizing motor starter 277 of can infeed conveyor 33. Contacts 278 and 280 will interlock motor starter 267 for automatic operation. When either switch 269 or 271 is closed by one or more six-packs coming in from the feeder conveyor 32, motor starter 277 will jog infeed conveyor 33 to fill conveyor 33 with six-packs and timed contact 275 will open after they have passed to prevent conveyor 33 from running excessively. When the first supply of six-packs is being lined up along infeed conveyor 33, motor starter 267 runs the feeder conveyor 32 continuously until switches 353 and 355 are held closed by six-packs and a high limit" switch 279 is held open by a six-pack positioned beneath it.

To start the movement of tray conveyor 25, the operator pushes a start button 281 on control box 282 that energizes motor starter 283 of motor 285. A green pilot light 287 on push button 281 indicates that motor 285 is energized and is held energized by contacts 289. Contact 284 will close and interlock motor starter 31 1. This conveyor 25 electrical circuit remains energized throughout the entire operation of the machine, and is interrupted only by operation of stop button 291.

To start discharge conveyor 27, the operator presses start button 293 to energize motor starter 295 of motor 297. Contacts 299 close, energizing control relay 301, to close contact 393 and contact 303 closes to hold in motor starter 295 which is indicated by green pilot light 305 on push button 293.

Relay 301 is energized by auxiliary contact 299 to close contact 393 to tell the automatic system that conveyor 27 is running before trays or cases can be loaded. The electrical circuit of conveyor 27 remains energized throughout the entire operation of the machine and is interrupted only by operation of a stop button 307.

To start main drive motor 51, the operator presses the main drive start button 309 and holds it down. This energizes motor starter 311, closes contacts 315 that energizes control relay 317, and closes contacts 319 to set up an interlocking circuit between the main motor starter 311 and the vacuum pump motor starter 323 to shut down the vacuum motor when the main motor is stopped by a jam and prevent the vacuum cups from pulling down a blank when the main motor is stopped.

The operator now presses vacuum pump start button 321 which energizes motor starter 323 of vacuum pump motor 325. Contact 324 interlocks motor starter 323. Vacuum cups 205 rise and pickup the bottom blank 203 from hopper 201 and deposit it on table 207. Just as the blank reaches table level, a limit switch 327 is cam actuated to de-energize vacuumcontrol solenoid valve 329 and cause a blast of air to release the blank from vacuum cups 205. As the blank 203 descends from hopper 201 to the table 207, it travels in a motion that is generated by a cam to help vacuum cup 205 release the blank 203 from front hopper bars 215 and deposit the blank 203 in a position so that the rear adjustable hold-down fingers of arms 219 engage it promptly. The rear pusher bites pick up the trailing edge of the blank and move it into the glue station 209. During this operation, vacuum cups 205 ascend to pick up the next blank 203 in hopper 201.

As the blank travels into glue station 209, it actuates a limit switch 331 mounted on a bridge over table 207 and limit switch 331 detects the fact that a blank 203 is positioned in the glueing station 209. When a blank actuates limit switch 331, the normally closed limit switch 331 opens and drops out control relay 333 which closes contacts 335 to maintain the holding circuit of motor starter 311 .when cam operated limit switch337 opens. If no blank is present in glueing sta tion 209, motor starter 311 drops out to stop the machine. Absence of a blank in glueing station 209 may be caused by emptying of the blanks 203 in hopper 201, or by a feeding jam.

As blank 203 is moved from glue station 209 toward mandrel or erecting station 21 1, limit switch 339 is cam actuated to apply glue to the blank. Contact 341 of relay 333 is provided to insure the presence of paper at the glueing station. Mandrel 243 drives the blank into the flap folding zone345 where the corner flaps of the blank are folded around the mandrel by air cylinder actuated flap folders.

When paper blank 203 passes through the glueing station 209 on the way to the forming station 211, the normally closed. contacts 331a of switch 331 open and cause relay 333 to drop out. Contacts 333a close to energize relay 334 through cam operated switch 338 which in turn closes contact 334b. When cam operated switch 336 is closed in timed conjunction with mandrel 243 as it moves downwardly, solenoid valve 340 will be energized to cause the air cylinder actuated flapturners to fold the flaps around the corners of the mandrel. Contact 334a is provided to hold in relay 334 even though contact 333a should open. As mandrel 243 descends further, cage belt rollers 347 fold the end flaps of the blank upwardly and provide pressure to the glued areas of the blank by pressing the flaps against the mandrel. The formed blank is now a tray or box 47 and is dropped onto conveyor 25.

This sequence of operation for forming section .23 continues until a box or tray 47 dwells in front of photo cell 177 mounted beside tray conveyor 25 and cell 177 indicates high limit of trays. Photo cell 177 has a builtchine is now ready for loading cans or six-packs into the trays 47. The presence of six-packs on conveyor 33 has closed lane limit switches'353 and 355 and energized time delay relay,357 thereby closing its contacts 359 and 361. When timed contacts 361 close, relay 363 energizes, as is indicated by green pilot light 365, and closes contacts 367 in the electric circuit that controls clutch 369 and brake 395.

Photo cell 175 and photo cell 371 (in filling station 39) sense the presence of trays 47 on conveyors 25, 27, and photo cell 371 also senses that the front tray is in proper position for loading in filling station 39. Photo cell 175 provides that the conveyors always have two trays in position for automatic operation. Photo cell units'175 and 371 are wired in series with each other to control relay 373. Energizing the relay 373 closes contacts 375 which are wired into the control circuits for clutch 369 and brake 395.

The presence of six-packs holds closed switches 377 and 379, which are low level switches that insure sixpacks or cans are present for grouping. Jam sensing switch 133 is provided to sense that the various parts of the machine are operating in proper timed relationship to each other.

With selector switch 381 set for automatic operation, the operator presses loading section start button 383 to energize relay 385 which is held in closed position by contacts 387 and is indicated closed by green pilot light 389. Contacts 391 close and since contacts 393 of relay 301 have already been closed by the operation of secondary tray conveyor 27, loading section 21 will start and continue to run, stopping automatically only in the event of a jam or if the trays or six-packs run low. Loading section 21 may also be stopped by turning selector switch 381 to the off position or by pressing loading section stop button 392.

Electric clutch 369 drives loading section 21 and electric brake 395 stops loading section 21, including drum .29, quickly and positively. Brake 395 is connected to drum sprocket 394 by chain 396.

In the clutch circuits, contacts 375 sense the presence of trays, contacts 367 indicate the presence of sixpacks on can infeed conveyor 33, contacts 391 indicate any jam either at the can infeed by low level switches 377 and 379 or by jam limit switch 133 actuated by the two-position clutch 131 that drives the flight bar conveyor section 113 and grouping station 31, and contacts 397 indicate that a jam has occured on the discharge conveyor 27 of packed trays. A limit switch 399 actuated by a six-lobe cam on drum shaft is wired in parallel with contacts 375 which sense trays or cases, and contacts 367 which sense the presence of six-packs or cans. Relay 370 and contacts 370a and 370b are provided to insure a positive stop if something is amiss when stopped by switch 399. If either of these contacts 375 or 367 open while the machine is in operation, limit switch 399 positions drum 29 so that it stops in position for releasing a group 37 of six-packs into a tray 47 in filling station 39.

The function of forming section 23 is to provide the trays or cases needed by. the loading section 21 as sensed by photo cell 177 working in conjunction with limit switch 401 (FIG. 4). During normal automatic operation when there is a continuous flow of six-packs or cans there will be a continual need for cases; forming section 23 will run without interruption and cases on conveyor 25 will be passing photo cell 177 without stopping on their way to loading area 39. While operating thusly, former 23 may have in process as many as five paper blanks 203 within itself, and should the need for cases 47 diminish or stop and should the former 23 be controlled to stop producing cases 47, there should always be space available on conveyor 25 to receive the five cases in process as the machine 23 empties itself onto conveyor 25.

When this stoppage or lack of need of cases 47 occurs, cases 47 which have been moving on conveyors 25, 27 will stop aseach case 47 contacts the immobile case 47 preceding it, building a column of cases 47 back from loading station 39. When this column of cases reaches back to photo cell 177 and blocks its light beam sufficiently long to activate a time-delay relay within itself, the control systems will assume what may be termed a one for one or use one make one condition. When operating thusly (with photo cell 177 covered) the former will stop feeding blanks 203 from hopper 201 but will finish the cases 47 in process at the time the one-for-one condition began, discharging them onto conveyor 25. (Photo cell 177 must be positioned carefully to allow room for these additional cases.) With photo cell 177 covered and the one-forone condition prevailing, should the packer section 21 begin to operate again and thereby use cases 47 again, each case which is used will actuate limit switch 401 in passing on conveyor 27 and will signal the forming section 23 to make one and only one case to replace the one which has just been packed. This one-for-one condition will prevail until the column of cases begins to diminish and until the cases are again moving freely and rapidly past photo cell 177.

During one-for-one operation of the machine the forming section 23 should make a box 47 and deliver it to conveyor 25 everytime a box is loaded with cans in filling station 39 to thereby provide one new box 47 on conveyor 25 for each box 47 that has been filled at station 39. As the filled box 47 moves away from station 39 it actuates switch 401 mounted above discharge conveyor 27 to energize time-delay relay 403 and relay 405. instantaneously, contacts 407 and 402 of relay 405 close to hold in relay 405 and timer 403 respectively. Timed contact 403a will open after a short predetermined time period to separate relay 405 from the effect of the prolonged closure of switch 401 by the filled box 47 as it moves by. Cam operated switch 411 is provided to de-energize relay 405 once each cycle immediately after the vacuum system has been signailed to pull down another blank from hopper 201 by the interaction of contact 409 of relay 405.

In order to more clearly understand the function of the one-for-one system it is necessary to first understand the vacuum feed system. The primary elements of this system include solenoid controlled valve 329 which when de-energized allows vacuum pump 326 to draw air from vacuum cups ,205 and which when energized blocks off flow to the vacuum pump 326 but opens the cups 205 to a compressed air line which blows air through the cups, breaking the vacuum, to quickly release the paper blanks 203 at table level. r

A cam operated switch 327 momentarily energizes valve 329 once each cycle at the proper time to release paper blank 203 as the blank reaches table 207.

A photo cell 177 (complete with timed contact 348) has a primary function of detecting case back up on conveyor 25.

A control relay 351 supplies various interlocking contacts whose function will be explained later.

When, during normal operation, switch 327 is cam actuated momentarily to energize conducting wires 413 (FIG. 6) thereby energizing solenoid valve 329 to blow air through vacuum cups 205, if timed contacts 348 of photo cell 177 are closed (indicating that cases have backed up on conveyor 25) and contacts 409 of relay 405 are closed (indicating no further need of cases at that time) relay 351 will be energized. Contacts 351b and contacts 3510 will close to maintain power to solenoid valve 329 and relay 351 even though switch 327 opens to conducting wires 413 and air will blow continuously through vacuum cups 205. If during an ensuing machine cycle a case is used and detected by switch 401, relay 405 will be energized and its contacts 409 will open and, at the next instance of switch 327 closing to circuit 413, power to relay 351 will be interrupted and this relay will drop out, opening contacts 351b and 351C. This relay 351 will therefore remain de-energized when switch 327 opens to circuit 413 and solenoid valve 329 will likewise therefore be de-energized and will not blow air through vacuum cups 205, but rather will allow a condition of vacuum to exist at the cups 205 and they will then pull down a paper blank 203 which subsequently will be formed into a case 47 to replace the one that has been used. This one-for-one action will continue whenever a case is used until the column of cases diminishes to allow photo cell 177 to again detect its light beam thereby opening contact 348 and discontinuing the one-for-one condition.

Timed contacts 351a of relay 351 are provided to maintain main drive motor starter 311 during the period when no paper is being fed. Without this contact closure the interaction of switches 337 and 331 (which test for the presence of paper once each cycle during normal operation) would stop the main drive.

The one-for-one operation of supplying one new box as one box is filled continues so long as photo cell 177 is blocked by cases. Forming section 23 pulls a blank 203 from hopper 201 only when loading section 21 has filled a tray and the departing filled tray has tripped limit switch 401.

The speed of forming .section 23 will always be slightly faster than the speed of loading section 21 so as to insure an adequate supply of cases 47 for loading.

When it is desired to empty the machine and stop erecting boxes and filling them with cans, it is necessary to load the last several boxes by manually controlled operation. Loading section 21 stops when six-packs no longer hold limit switches 353 and 355 closed. When this occurs, the operator turns the selector switch 381 to manual position and presses jog button 415. Loading section 21 is thereby energized as contact 393 is still closed, relay 273 is energized through contact block 417 of jog button 415 to energize the can infeed conveyor motor starter 277. Jog button 415 must continue to be depressed until all cans have been removed from packing drum 29.

Also provided are a can infeed conveyor jog button 419 and a main drive stop button 421.

Referring now more particularly to the circuit diagram of FIG. 6, transformer 422 is a single phase transformer which converts high voltage to volts AC for the control devices, and fuses 420 provide protection 

1. A machine for filling boxes with a group of articles comprising a rotatable drum, a pick-up station positioned adjacent the drum, means for delivering a group of articles to the pick-up station, a filling station positioned adjacent the drum, means on the drum for grasping said group and carrying it to the filling station, and means for releasing the group at the filling station, whereby to fill a box at said filling station with said group of articles, wherein said drum includes a pair of outer disks, a clamping spring extending from each disk, a clamping plate on the end of said springs, a cam follower mounted on said clamping plates, and a pair of cams mounted exteriorly of the outer disks and contacted by the cam followers, said cams having a grasping portion at the pick-up station for moving the clamping plates toward each other to pick up said group of articles, said cams having a release portion at the filling station for allowing the clamping springs to spread apart and thereby release said group, said grasping portions being spaced closer together than the releasing portions.
 2. A machine for filling boxes with a group of articles comprising a rotatable drum, a pick-up station positioned adjacent the drum, means for delivering a group of articles to the pick-up station, a filling station positioned adjacent the drum, means on the drum for grasping said group and carrying it to the filling station, and means for releasing the group at the filling station, whereby to fill a box at said filling station with said group of articles, wherein said pick-up station includes a pivoted support finger for supporting said group at the pick-up station in a position to be grasped by said grasping means, and rotatable cam disk means operatively connected to said support finger for moving said support finger into pick-up position and for moving said support finger out of the path of the group after the group has been grasped.
 3. The machine of claim 2, including a cam-follower finger extending from the support finger, and said cam disk means includes a cam disk having a cam on its periphery which contacts said cam follower finger to move said support finger into pick-up position and into aftergrasp position.
 4. The machine of claim 1 wherein said pick-up station includes a pivoted support finger for supporting said group at the pick-up station in a position to be grasped by said grasping means, and rotatable cam disk means operatively connected to said support finger for moving said support finger into pick-up position and for moving said support finger out of the path of the group after the group has been grasped.
 5. The machine of claim 4, including A cam-follower finger extending from the support finger, and said cam disk means includes a cam disk having a cam on its periphery which contacts said cam follower finger to move said support finger into pick-up position and into aftergrasp position.
 6. An apparatus for loading articles into a carton, comprising: a wheel rotatably mounted about a horizontal central axis, the periphery of the wheel presenting a plurality of identical outer side surfaces centered and equiangularly spaced about said axis; individual gripping means arranged along each wheel side surface for selectively fixing articles received thereon to enable the wheel to rotate about its axis without dislodging the articles; index means for sequentially positioning the side surfaces at an upwardly facing loading position to said axis; loading means for selectively placing articles onto each side surface while at said loading position; first control means operatively connected to said gripping means for activation of said gripping means following placement of articles thereon; carton placement means for selectively placing individual cartons at a position tangential to the path of articles on said wheel side surfaces about the wheel axis, whereby the articles on each wheel side surface are inserted into an open carton during rotational motion of the wheel about its axis; and second control means operatively connected to said gripping means for releasing said gripping means at each wheel side surface following the insertion of articles thereon into an open carton.
 7. In a carton-loading apparatus for placing a preselected charge of articles within open cartons: a framework; a polygonal wheel rotatably mounted on said framework about a horizontal axis, said wheel having a multisided periphery including a plurality of outwardly facing plane side surfaces arranged about said axis; indexing means on said framework operatively connected to said wheel for permitting intermittent rotational movement of said wheel about its axis and for sequentially fixing the angular position of the wheel relative to the framework with one wheel side surface at an upwardly facing horizontal loading position; an article delivery conveyor on said framework including means for placing a charge of articles upon each of the wheel side surfaces while the respective wheel side surface is at the loading position; conveyor guides on said framework vertically adjacent to the articles delivery conveyor for maintaining the articles in longitudinal parallel rows; outwardly protruding guides on each of said wheel surfaces respectively aligned with said conveyor guides when the respective side surfaces are at the loading position; and carton placement means on said framework for selectively inserting each charge of articles on the wheel side surfaces into an individual carton at an angular position about said axis displaced from said loading position.
 8. An apparatus is set out in claim 7 wherein said article delivery conveyor includes an endless upper flight that is coplanar with each wheel side surface when the respective wheel side surfaces are at the loading position.
 9. An apparatus as set out in claim 8 further comprising: article-detecting means on said framework adjacent to the wheel and opposite to the conveyor aligned between each pair of guides on a wheel side surface at said loading position, said article detecting means being operatively connected to said indexing means for permitting a preselected angular amount of rotational movement of the wheel about its axis in response to the reception of a full charge of articles on each wheel side surface while at said loading position.
 10. In a carton-loading apparatus for placing a preselected charge of articles within open cartons: a framework; a polygonal wheel rotatably mounted on said framework about a horizontal axis, said wheel having a multisided periphery including a plurality of outwardly facing side surfaces arranged about said axis; indexing means on said frameWork operatively connected to said wheel for permitting intermittent rotational movement of said wheel about its axis and for sequentially fixing the angular position of the wheel relative to the framework with one wheel side surface at a loading position; an article delivery conveyor on said framework including means for placing a charge of articles upon each of the wheel side surfaces while the respective wheel side surface is at the loading position; gripping means located at each wheel side surface for selectively fixing articles received thereon to enable the wheel to rotate about its axis without dislodging the articles; a source of pressure; control means operatively connected between said framework and the respective gripping means at the respective wheel side surfaces for applying pressure to the articles received thereon at said loading position and for maintaining such pressure during rotation of the wheel about its axis; and carton placement means on said framework for selectively inserting each charge of articles on the wheel side surfaces into an individual carton at an angular position about said axis displaced from said loading position.
 11. In a carton-loading apparatus for placing a preselected charge of articles within open cartons: a framework; a polygonal wheel rotatably mounted on said framework about a horizontal axis, said wheel having a multisided periphery including a plurality of outwardly facing plane side surfaces arranged about said axis; indexing means on said framework operatively connected to said wheel for permitting intermittent rotational movement of said wheel about its axis and for sequentially fixing the angular position of the wheel relative to the framework with one wheel side surface at an upwardly facing horizontal loading position; an article delivery conveyor on said framework including a longitudinal upper flight coplanar with said loading position for directing a charge of articles onto each of the wheel side surfaces while the respective wheel side surface is at the loading position; carton placement means on said framework for selectively inserting each charge of articles on the wheel side surfaces into an individual carton at an angular position about said axis displaced from said loading position; means on said side surface of said wheel for preventing displacement of the articles to the respective surfaces until they are inserted within a carton; a receiving conveyor having a flight thereof extending under said wheel and loading outwardly therefrom; and a guide apparatus alongside the wheel in its direction of rotation from said loading position, said guide apparatus including upright surfaces spaced outwardly from the wheel axis.
 12. An apparatus as set out in claim 11 further comprising: conveyor guides on said framework vertically adjacent to the upper flight of the article delivery conveyor for maintaining the articles in longitudinal parallel rows; said last-named means comprising outwardly protruding guides on each of said wheel side surfaces respectively aligned with said conveyor guides when the respective side surfaces respectively aligned with said conveyor guides when the respective side surfaces are at the loading position.
 13. An apparatus as set out in claim 12 further comprising: article-detecting means on said framework adjacent to the wheel and aligned-between each pair of guides on a wheel side surface at said loading position, said article-detecting means being operatively connected to said indexing means for permitting a preselected angular amount of rotational movement of the wheel about its axis in response to the reception of a full charge of articles on each wheel side surface while at said loading position.
 14. An apparatus for loading articles into a carton comprising: a wheel rotatably mounted about a horizontal central axis, the periphery of the wheel presenting a plurality of identical outer side surfaces centered and equiangularly spaced about said axis; index means for sequentially positiOning the side surfaces at an upwardly facing loading position relative to said axis; loading means for selectively placing articles onto each side surface while at said loading position, said loading means comprising a longitudinal conveyor having a discharge end longitudinally adjacent to and coplanar with a wheel side surface at said loading position; stop means adjacent to the wheel for selectively engaging articles at the discharge end of the conveyor following the placement of articles onto each wheel side surface at said loading position; carton placement means for selectively positioning empty cartons over the articles placed upon the wheel surfaces; retaining means alongside the wheel including upright surfaces facing a portion of the wheel, said retaining means being adapted to release each carton after inversion of the articles therein; and conveyor means for receiving the carton after release thereof by said retaining means and for subsequently carrying each filled carton away from the apparatus.
 15. A method of loading a charge of bottles or cans into a carton, comprising the following steps: placing the charge of bottles or cans in upright positions upon an upwardly facing horizontal portion of the peripheral surface of an upright multisided wheel; rotating the wheel about its central horizontal axis; holding the charge of bottles or cans on the wheel during initial rotation thereof; feeding open cartons along a path tangential to the rotational path of the charge of bottles or cans about the wheel axis; inserting the charge of bottles or cans into the carton; and releasing the charge of bottles or cans from the wheel after insertion into the carton and inversion of the charge of bottles or cans due to rotation of the wheel about its axis.
 16. A method of loading a charge of bottles or cans into cartons, comprising the following steps: placing a charge of bottles or cans in upright positions upon successive side surfaces of an upright multisided wheel as each such side surface is oriented at an upwardly facing horizontal loading position; intermittently permitting rotational movement of the wheel about its central horizontal axis to thereby move successive side surfaces of the wheel to the loading position; placing an open carton over each charge of bottles or cans received on the respective wheel side surfaces during rotational movement of the side surface about the wheel axis; holding the cartons for movement conjointly with the respective wheel side surfaces during inversion of the successive charges of bottles or cans due to rotational movement of the wheel about its horizontal axis; and successively releasing each carton and the charge of bottles or cans contained therein following inversion of the charge of bottles or cans about the wheel axis.
 17. A method loading an article into a carton, comprising the following steps: placing the article upon an upwardly facing portion of the peripheral surface of an upright wheel in such condition that the article is inverted with respect to its intended position in the upright carton; rotating the wheel about its central horizontal axis; securing the article to the wheel during rotation thereof; directing an open carton along a path tangential to the rotational path of the article about the wheel axis; inserting the article into the carton during rotation of the wheel; and releasing the article from the wheel after insertion into the carton. 